Bambuterol, which is described in the European patent EP 43807 is a pro drug of a beta-2-adrenergic agonist (terbutaline) and can be used in the treatment of asthmatic patients, no effect on the lipoprotein metabolism has been reported earlier.
A positive correlation between high risk for coronary heart disease and increased concentrations of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been well documented, Castelli W P, Doyle J T, Gordon T, et al. HDL Cholesterol and other lipids in coronary heart disease. The Cooperative Lipoprotein Phenotyping Study. Circulation 55, 767-772 (1977). In contrast, it has been suggested that an increased concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) may confer a low risk for heart disease. A more recent study, Gordon T, Castelli W P, Hjortland M C, et al. High density lipoprotein as a protective factor against coronary heart disease. The Framingham Study. Am J Ned 62, 707-714 (1977), however, suggests that the ratio between LDL cholesterol and HDL Cholesterol is a better indicator of risk rather than either of them alone, on the premise that LDL transports the cholesterol produced in the liver to the extra-hepatic tissues and HDL brings it back into the liver for further metabolism.
Different kinds of cholesterol are present in the blood, and the most important forms are HDL= High Density Lipoprotein, and LDL= Low Density Lipoprotein.